Inspection Testing Maintenance Audits

Routine inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) of fire protection and life safety systems is crucial to ensure those systems will operate when needed.

An ITM audit verifies that all necessary requirements from appropriate codes and standards are identified and documented, and that those requirements are performed at the intended frequency.  These audits document missed ITM requirements where required by the applicable codes or standards and identifies trends both positive and negative from the review of ITM records.

How PLC Can Help

The word “audit” often intimidates people. However, having an audit performed on the ITM of fire and life safety systems shows any Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) or Insurance company that due diligence has been performed to inspect, test and maintain fire and life safety systems.

Most buildings are equipped with at least one fire or life safety system which requires regular ITM. Portable extinguishers, exit signs, fire separation/closures and emergency lighting are amongst the most common types of equipment that require ITM.

The National or Provincial Fire Codes  describes the required ITM, or directs the responsible person to  the appropriate standards that detail the required ITM.

For example, The National Fire Code indicates that for exit signs, the sign shall be inspected at least every 12 months to ensure the sign is visible upon failure of the primary power supply and if the exit sign is provided with battery back-up, that the sign will remain illuminated for the prescribed period of time. However, for portable extinguishers, the NFCC indicates that the ITM shall be in accordance with the National Fire Protection Associated (NFPA) 10 standard “Portable Fire Extinguishers”.

For each fire or life safety system installed in a building, there is a corresponding ITM standard.  Water based fire protection systems have their ITM performed in accordance with NFPA 25, where as fire alarm systems have their ITM performed in accordance with CAN/ULC-S536 (NFPA 72 in the USA). ITM standards exist for emergency generators, smoke alarms, fire pumps, smoke control systems, fire separation closures, and various other emergency systems.

PLC has performed ITM audits for a variety of Clients including commercial, large assembly, care and treatment facilities and industrial facilities of all sizes and complexities.